


White as Winter

by Synderellas_Revenge



Series: White as Winter - Red as Blood [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fighting Kink, Light BDSM, Oral Sex, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-05-05
Packaged: 2018-03-29 03:05:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3879805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synderellas_Revenge/pseuds/Synderellas_Revenge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He's a ghost of a man; looking to find himself in the wreckage.</p><p>She's just a ghost; looking for a way out.</p><p>The stumble upon each other and wonder if they can save the other. But when personal desires conflict, is there any hope left?</p>
            </blockquote>





	White as Winter

**Author's Note:**

> *Previously posted on Mibba about a year ago by me as SynderellasRevenge.* Some winter!smut for you all with a bit of a plot mixed in. *Has since gained a chaptered sequel.*

It had been a several months since that day; he had stayed in DC trying to reconnect to the dots while remaining off anyone's radar. The streets were white and the midnight sky was grey with a mid-December chill frosting the air. He had managed to slip into an all night diner long enough to get a cup of hot coffee before disappearing back into the shadows of the streets. He didn't sleep during the night anymore, instead he walked around in the stillness of the early hours of the morning when no one else was around. The wandering always cleared his mind, gave him time to sew the scraps together of what he'd learned.

So used to having the city to himself, he was slightly startled when he caught sight of a female form sitting at the mouth of the alley he was treading through. He approached her slowly, his footsteps barely crunching the snow as he stopped a few feet away. She looked like a teenager in her small stature, and he wondered what she would be doing out here. Was this a coincidence? Or was she looking for him? Why would they send a kid after him, that made no sense. He wanted to turn around, to double back before he was noticed but it was already too late.

“Nice night out, isn't it?” Came the soft voice of the female as she exhaled a cloud of smoke, flipping the last of her cigarette away. This drew his attention and he stopped mid turn, glancing over at her again.

“Aren't you a little young to be out?” He questioned, his voice authoritative yet not much louder than a whisper.

“I'm a lot older than you think.” She replied calmly, looking over at him as the light illuminated a strip of her face.

Her eyes were proof of her words, her stare hardened by time, the bags underneath were well defined and darker than he'd ever seen on a woman. She uncrossed her arms as she pushed herself to her feet, the over-sized hoodie showing hints of her curves—she looked no older than he had been when he enlisted. Still she puzzled him, as she looked his way with a blank expression on her pale face. He dared to take a few steps closer, he still saw no immediate threat in her.

“It's still dangerous for a young woman to be out at this hour, _alone_.” He murmured, his blue eyes taking in the ripped jeans that seemed to be too big for her also. Underneath he could see faint traces of bruising and cuts—what had she gotten herself into?

“I have no where else to be.” She stated, it was her turn to study the face hidden beneath the baseball cap—she recognized it but made no mention of the fact. “Besides, I'm not alone anymore.”

“You have to have family, a friend— _something_.” He said, moving closer again, something about her was drawing him in like a fly to a spider's web. Her hands looked numb from the cold, her lips held the same blue tint as swimming in cold water produced. As paranoid as she was making him, he didn't like seeing a girl like that. “You're freezing, take this.”

“I'm always cold.” She answered, staring at the outstretched hand that held the steaming cup. She eyed it as if it was poisoned, or would attack her at any second.

“How long have you been on the streets?” He asked, bringing the cup to his lips and drinking as a show of good faith before offering it again.

“I don't know.” She muttered, stepping gingerly towards him just enough to reach the cup and slink back to her spot. The cold twinged in his shoulder and he reflexively rolled it, the mechanical whirring sounding between them. “That must hurt, out here in the cold.”

“What's your name?” He demanded, more forcefully this time as her eyes lingered on his metal arm—simultaneously deflecting her comment.

“I don't know.” She answered, blowing at the hot coffee before taking the tiniest swig of it. The warmth that should've comforted her felt more like lava rolling down her throat as she swallowed. “I've been called by many names—not unlike you.” Her comment troubled him, but she stared into the space between them, searching for something that seemed to cause her pain. “Rose Red....that's what _they_ called me. But _I think_.....I think my mother used to call me Snow...I don't know anymore. I can't separate what's real from what's not.”

“Who do you think you are?” His tone softened at her words, he could she her struggle to piece her thoughts together. How did she seem to know more about him than she did herself? She appeared to be going through the same thing he was, but how is that even possible?

“ _A sinner_.” Her voice sounded as barely a whisper, her eyes focused on the ratty combat boots on her feet. Her voice raised as she spoke again and there were traces of venom in her tone as she scowled. “ _ **A killer. A failed experiment**_.”

This had to be a joke, right? A sick and twisted one at that—did they think they could lure him in with a woman that supposedly shared the same story as him? He eyed her carefully as she drank from the cup again, the pain etched in her face as she forced the hot liquid down. Could she possibly be telling the truth, a Hydra reject that had had her slate wiped as he had? His thoughts were broken by the sound of her voice and he found her staring into his eyes.

“You should get somewhere warm, then you won't be in pain Soldier.” She stated nonchalantly as she turned her back to him, staring out at the street just beyond the mouth of the alley. She was giving him the chance to walk away from her, but she doubted he would.

“If you know who I am, shouldn't you be worried about turning away from me?” He demanded, the authority was back in his voice, along with a hint of malice. He didn't like being toyed with, they had done too much of that. He closed in on her, pulling a knife from his jeans with ease and holding it to her throat—she didn't even flinch at the suddenness of it all. “Are you with Hydra?!” He hissed in her ear.

“Do it, _do what they wouldn't_.” She uttered, no trace of fear in her voice. He pressed the blade to her skin firmly, overcome with emotion—with his past but he pulled back. He wanted answers to the riddles she was spinning but not like this, he wasn't _**him**_ anymore.

She spun around to face him, dropping the cup to the ground, her petite hands flinging him against the brick. Some of the wall crumbled at the impact and he stared at her in confusion. She was suddenly against him, a frozen hand to his throat as the other grabbed the hand with the knife and pinned it. Her eyes were an alarming shade of blue-grey and it unnerved him.

“They rejected me for showing hesitance, emotion...” She explained to him, the cold seemed to seep from her hand into his skin causing him to splutter as his vocal chords seemed to freeze up. “They replaced me, _with you_....but you've obviously failed them too.”

Her eyes scrutinized him, but she wasn't smart enough to lock down his metal hand and it reached for her throat. He forced himself away from the brick, switching their positions with a quick slam—more of it crumbled to the ground as her hands fell to her sides. Still she was calm, rage didn't boil in her as it did him and he wanted to know why. What had they done to this girl? Finally she broke, her bluish lips turning up into a wicked smile that bared all her pearly white teeth—as if egging him on to finish it.

“How did you get out?” He questioned her, knowing they wouldn't let her escape without hunting for her—if her story was true that was. He eased the metallic grip so she could speak. “Why didn't they kill you?”

“They _couldn't_.” She hissed, anger finally rising in her eyes as she chuckled darkly, her red hair hanging in her face. “They made a monster they couldn't put down—so they left me to my agony. I can't remember who I was before, I have no breadcrumbs to lead me to my past like you, _James_.”

The way his name came rolling off her tongue was so odd—like a thing to fear, to hate; so full of venom but with something else underneath. It stirred something inside of him but he didn't understand the feeling. She had envied him after hearing tale of how his childhood friend came to save him from himself, forced him to remember who he was. He had been a hero before, a soldier from the past that had his own place in his Captain’s exhibit. But who was she? A nothing, a nobody turned into something no one would take in, would love. He could be her **salvation** — _her merciful end_ to wandering the cold unknown of her own mind.

“Do it.” She taunted him, her grin in place as she hung limply from his grip on her throat, not fighting in the least. “ _One last mission for the Winter Soldier to finish._ ”

He growled, tightening his metal fingers around her—watching her gasp once before the blue seemed to seep from her lips to the rest of her face with the pressure. Though she couldn't breath, suddenly there was life in her eyes, joy even at the idea of being free. He crumbled inside, dropping her to the ground and turned away—the look had haunted him and he tugged at the ends of his long locks. She spluttered and coughed hoarsely on the ground, tears falling from her eyes at the sting of air infiltrating her lungs again. _She had been so close....._

“Why won't you help me?” She yelled at him, her voice strained with the emotions that began to crash down on her. “Make it stop, there is no good for me to go back to. Just end it, Soldier _......give me what I need..... **save me!**_ ”

The sound of her sobbing and pleas were tearing him apart inside—he was so conflicted. The weapon they had made him wanted to shut her up, permanently and swiftly, before he was found. The man he had been and was trying to become wanted to ease her suffering, but not at that cost. He was frustrated, and confused, tearing at his hair as his breathing picked up. He turned to look at her, slumped against the wall sobbing as she roughly fisted her red locks in anger. She looked up at him, pushing herself to stand once more as her body shook.

“What a waste of all that strength, of that arm of yours....” She hissed, scowling up at him as he stood there lost in his own confusion, chest heaving with the pace of his thoughts. She pushed him causing him to stumble back a few steps as the cap was knocked from his head, glaring up at him from under her brow. “So you don't want to be a killing machine? What about _Sergeant James Barnes_?” She pushed him again and his eyes focused on her, his metal fist clenching at the way she said his name—the rush of feelings it caused to surge up.

“Shut up.” He commanded her but she laughed dryly at him in response.

“The good Sergeant was brave, followed his best buddy to his death—took down Hydra alongside him before that. Do you want to be **him**? Do you think that's _who you are?_ ” She hissed, cocking a fist back and punching him in the jaw, watching as his head jerked to the side.

“You have no **idea** what you're talking about...” He warned her, human hand rubbing at his jaw as she stood her ground.

“Yes, I do. You're not him anymore, so who are you?” She questioned him, raising a brow in wonder as she stared him down. “I'll tell you who you are; _**a coward**_. You hide in the shadows while that same man looks for you, he wants to bring you home and fix you—to save you.”

“ _Don't talk about him_.” He growled, metal fist colliding with her face and knocking her down into the snow with a thud.

“I've talked to him ya know.” She stated, turning her head slightly to spit the blood that had pooled from her cut lip out—red on stark white. “What would your dear Captain think of you right now?”

“ **Shut. Up!** ” He hissed as he watched her pull herself to her feet, sneering at him as more blood leaked down her chin—she wiped it with her hand, stared at it a moment before glancing up at him.

“ **Make me**.” She told him, opening her arms to signal she was ready for his wrath. She was baiting him, he knew it and he was fighting down the urge burning in his gut to do what she wanted. When he didn't advance on her she shook her head, scoffing at him. “ _Pathetic_.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing aside the the idea of gripping her up again and when they opened she was gone. He turned and saw her at the other end of the alley, slinking around the corner. He followed her, running to make sure he didn't lose track of her. He closed in on her quickly, grabbing her arm and throwing her against the metal door to the side of them. It dented and the hinges creaked wearily as she looked up at him and he gripped her arms to keep her from taking off.

“Are you going to give me what I need? Or should I scream until someone finds us?” She asked, arching a brow as she stared into his blue eyes that were alight with fire.

He didn't know what came over him then, he knew he had to shut her up and so he slammed his lips into hers. Hard enough that their teeth bumped and the woman groaned at the force against her cut lip. His urges shifted very suddenly with that one simple gesture—awakening a fire in him that hadn't burned in decades. How long had it been since he was pressed against a woman like this, since he had tasted someone's lips? He swept his tongue along her cut before shoving it into her mouth—she tasted of blood and coffee.

She didn't struggle underneath him, which was a surprise in itself. She yielded to his dominance, letting him control the kiss—she couldn't remember if she had ever done this before. His hands moved from her wrists to her hips, giving them a rough squeeze before slinking to the back of her thighs. He used the smallest bit of leverage and she followed his lead, wrapping her legs about his waist. He groaned into their kiss at the feeling of being pressed against her core, the only warm part of her it seemed. And just like that he was hard, all from the kiss, _god it had been so long_.

His hands roamed her curves as they broke for air, his lips moving against her jaw then her neck to press sloppy kisses and harsh nips. She moaned softly in reaction—it sounded strange to her ears—but it spurred him on like he'd never heard the sound before. Her hands tangled themselves into his brown hair, gripping tightly as he bit her fully in the hollow of her neck. His chest was heaving against hers, he could feel it as his metal hand jerked down the zipper of her hoodie while the other slipped inside to knead her chest. Another moan escaped her lips as she gasped and bucked her hips against his causing him to let out a growl against her neck.

“We're going to get caught like this.” She muttered, her eyes opening to glance at him as he continued his ministrations. He lifted his head so his lust clouded blue eyes met hers and sighed; he wanted nothing more than to rip down her jeans right there and take her. But she was right.

“Come on.” He whispered, letting her legs down and gripping her hand in his flesh one. He pulled her along the backstreets quickly, searching out his destination.

Not too far was an abandoned apartment complex he had been staying in—some of the tenants had left furniture behind. He let go of her hand and jumped, metal hand gripping the retractable fire escape stairs and pulling them down with a clatter. He ushered her up them, guiding her to the window of the apartment he had slept in the night before. He opened the window, signaling for her to climb in before following and slamming it shut again. She had been looking around the room when he pushed her up against the wall once more, hand tearing at the zipper until he could jerk the cloth from her shoulders.

He crashed his mouth to hers and she moaned at the contact, hands finding his long locks again. He had never been this aggressive with a woman before—whether it was the long, long wait or how they had made him; he wasn't sure. Though she seemed not to mind, or really know the difference at all. His mind wandered, thinking maybe she had never been with a man but it came and went quickly as desire burned in him. His hands found her hips, pulling them tightly against his own and this time she could feel his hardness. She felt the wetness in her own jeans and suddenly she ached for more.

This time it was her lips that traveled along his defined jaw line, her cold fingers ripping at his jacket frustratedly. She ran her tongue down the length of his neck as he shrugged his jacket off, groaning deeply at the sensation. She sunk her teeth into his skin as he had done and he growled, pushing her back against the wall. She looked up at him, wondering if she had done something wrong but he was busy stripping his shirt off. When their eyes met, he smirked at her, metal hand gripping the front of her tank top and then he pulled roughly, watching it turn to shreds.

She ran her hands over his well toned chest, staring at it like it was a work of art, trailing over to where the metal met his shoulder. His metal hand was at her throat in an instant, pinning her to the wall as he pressed his warm flesh to her cold, eyes closing for a beat at the feeling. He opened them to stare into her eyes, lips still curled up at the corners as his flesh hand trailed down her stomach to rub her through her jeans. He watched with joy as her pupils dilated and her breathing became erratic. He moved to unbutton the jeans, pulling them down her legs until she stepped out of her boots and then her pants before she kicked them away.

His metal hand moved to her shoulder, flipping her around until her face and body was pressed tight against the fading wallpaper. He weaved the same hand into her red hair, pulling her head back as he kissed, licked and bit her shoulder—flesh hand gripping her hip until she was pressed back into him with another groan. His hand slinked from her hip across her lower stomach until he dipped it beneath her panties, running a finger along her slit. She could feel him smirking against her skin as she moaned loudly at the contact.

“Dripping already, doll?” He muttered huskily into her ear as he traced circles over her clit causing her to mewl in response, her hips arching further back into him as her eyes closed.

He continued to trace shapes there as she panted and moaned, her legs shaking slightly as he ran his tongue along the curve of her shoulder blade. He took her by surprise earning him a loud gasp that turned into a deep groan when he slipped a finger inside her. She felt the growl rumble in from within his chest at how tight she was as he began to pump the finger in and out quickly. Sure he craved to be buried inside her, but he had never been a selfish lover either. He picked up the pace as her moans grew louder, the metal hand clutching her hip to keep her steady. She felt an unfamiliar burning deep in her stomach as it built up to a boiling point.

“ _ **Fuck** , James_.” She hissed as her legs began to shake and she came.

He moaned softly at the sight of her coming undone and the way she said his name. He pulled his finger from her without a word, metal arm wrapping around her waist as he moved towards the bed and threw her down on it. She landed on her stomach and couldn't seem to move as she worked on steadying her breathing. The high of getting off combined with the fast movement made her head spin with dizziness. He stood at the edge of the bed, roughly undoing his belt before unbuttoning his jeans and shedding them with his own boots. He flipped her over before crawling on top of her, his lips meeting hers again in a rough kiss as his metal arm held her up long enough to undo her bra so he could fling it aside.

At this point her lips were bruised but that didn't stop her at all, in fact she was growing comfortable with all of it. She raked her teeth over his pouty bottom lip, pulling it as she glanced up into his blue eyes and he growled. He decided to pay her back so he inched down, keeping eye contact, and caught her hard nipple in between his teeth. She moaned, hands fisting his hair as he sucked it into his warm mouth, tongue running across it as the other was pinched between metal fingers. She arched into him, their skin meeting and his hands moved to push her hips as far as they would go into the bed as he kissed down her torso.

It had been so long since he had the chance and he just had to taste her—to see if it was as wonderful as he remembered. His index fingers hooked into the sides of her panties, trailing them slowly down her smooth legs as she watched him. Once those were discarded he gripped her inner thighs, spreading her legs wide before dipping his head down to run his tongue against her. She cried out and he smirked at the fact that she was still sensitive. He devoured her greedily, not being able to get enough of the sweet taste as she tried to buck against him and moaned loudly.

She had never felt such a sensation before as this one, the way his tongue teased her clit and dipped inside her as she pushed his head further into her. That feeling built up and as she cursed heavily it released and she spasmed under him. He lapped up what he could before tugging his boxers down and kicking them away as he moved up to kiss her. She tasted herself on him and it was strangely exciting, as was the feeling of his hard cock pressed against her. She was breathless as they open mouth kissed sloppily between pants and groans. He was harder than he could ever remember being and he was starting to lose control.

He kept her legs spread as he lined himself up with her, and she groaned at the pain in her thighs that had already surfaced. He plunged fully into her with no warning and let out a deep groan into her ear at the feeling of her warmth stretched around him. She cried out in pain, she had never been so full to her memory and it felt like he was splitting her in half. He registered the difference in her tone and stilled himself, glancing down at her with a trace of concern.

“Are you okay?” He asked as his breath came in pants, sweat had started to bead between his shoulders already and it glistened on her skin as well.

“ _Just do it_.” She murmured as she looked up at him with lust consumed eyes, mimicking the same tone as she had used in the alley earlier. He didn't move at her words, he didn't quite believe that she wasn't in pain—so she raked her nails over his shoulders making him growl. “ _Come on_ , Soldier, _show me what you can do_.”

His lips curled up in to a wicked smirk, his metal hand moving to grip her chin—making sure she kept her eyes on him as he pulled almost all the way out and slammed back into her. She moaned out, eyes going wide as her back arched into him briefly. He kept this up, not really changing the pace, just slamming into her with force and watching as she cried out, nails digging into his shoulders. After a minute or two, it began to drive both of them crazy yet he still smirked down at her, keeping her focused on him. He shifted ever so slightly and this time hit that special spot inside her as he sunk himself into her causing her to scream out and her eyes to roll back momentarily.

That was his cue to pick up the pace, keeping track of the angle to make sure he hit that spot over and over again. She started to swear as she felt that pressure in her abdomen again, and he wasn't ready for her to go again, let alone for it to be over. So he pulled out of her and sat back on his heels, looking down at her as she squirmed and pouted at the loss. He crooked his finger at her and she forced herself up onto her knees in front of him moving close enough for their lips to meet. He pulled her flush to him and then let his hands grip her ass causing her to moan into the kiss.

“ _Your turn_ , doll.” He muttered against her lips as he pulled away, flopping himself back onto the bed before tucking his arms behind his head with a grin.

She stared at him for a moment—it had been a distraction, he kept her busy long enough for that build up to fade. She crawled over him and nuzzled her nose against his, pulling away anytime he tried to kiss her with a defiant smile. Her hands roamed his chest, stopping at his nipples which she pinched causing him to hiss and push himself up against the headboard in attempt to get away. She chuckled and let go once his metal hand was at her throat and sunk down on him as he growled. She set herself at the same pace they had left off at, her breathing coming in short gasps as his hand remained put.

Her eyes were wide as he reveled in watching her ride him, her tits bouncing with every down thrust. She didn't know how she knew what to do but she did and so she began to swivel her hips just so causing him to moan. His metal hand moved to her jaw as he leaned in to kiss her, the other traveling down the curve of her spine before it landed on her ass with a resounding smack. She gasped as the the prickly heat of the slap spread across her cheek slowing her down. He took the opportunity to switch them, and in one fluid movement she was on her back without him ever leaving her.

“I'll teach you to fuck with me.” He growled huskily in her ear as his hands ran down the backs of her thighs until they reached her knees, throwing them over his shoulders. He sank a few inches deeper into her and she swore loudly causing him to smirk. “Hush.” He stated, supporting himself on his metal arm while his other hand covered her mouth.

He hammered in and out of her, quickly and forcibly as her screams were muffled by his hand. He pushed himself closer to her in turn pushing her further into the bed as he bottomed out inside her. His carnal instincts had taken over and he pounded her relentlessly—not stopping to count the times she spasmed around him because it was no longer about her. The room smelled of sex and they were sticky with sweat, the only sounds were her muffled cries and his grunts as their bodies slapped together. He felt himself getting closer to the edge so he went as fast and hard as he could not acknowledging the tears trickling down her cheeks from pleasure mixed with pain.

“Aw fuck.” He uttered under his breath as his orgasm overcame him and his head rested against her shoulder as he let out a loud growl. He lazily rode it out, panting as he spilled inside her. He collapsed on top of her, exhausted beyond belief in that moment and he finally removed his hand from her mouth. He tilted his head up to look at her with a tired grin. “You alright there, doll?”

She nodded her head in response and he rolled off of her, hearing her groan as he pulled out and her legs fell to the bed. He pulled the blanket from under them and threw it over their sweaty bodies—he really didn't care if she stayed or left at this point but he was ready to pass out and it wasn't long before they both did. The morning came quicker than expected and she rolled over only to realize she was in a bed, her arm feeling the empty space next to her that was still warm. She sat up with a groan, pain radiating over her entire being as she clutched the sheet to her chest. Her free hand rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and when she opened them she was shocked to see him sitting in the chair across from her, his clothes already back on.

“Surprised your even still here.” She commented, slowly swinging her legs over the edge of the bed as she looked for her clothes.

“I could say the same about you.” He returned, eying her carefully from his seat. She scoffed, rolling her eyes as he tossed her bra on the bed.

She put it back on without a word, reaching down to grab her panties near the bedpost and letting out a cry of pain. He arched his brow at her as she struggled to get to her feet, almost falling over as she slipped into them. Without the sheet and with the daylight he could see how battered her tiny body really was. Riddled with old scars and bruises—some of which were fresh, deep purple and black from where he had gripped and bit her the night before. She moved towards him to bend down for her pants, crying out loudly as tears sprang to her eyes from the pain. She clutched her torso and his eyes followed to find more bruising around the left side of her ribs—at least one of them was broken.

“ You need to go to a hospital.” He stated, authority in his voice as she steadied herself with a hand against the wall as she pulled her pants on. He leaned over and grabbed her hoodie, setting it in his lap as he looked over at her.

“It'll heal......eventually.” She muttered harshly, straightening herself up to glare at him. “My jacket please.”

“How long have you been out of cryo?” He demanded, clutching the cloth in his metal hand as he stared her down.

“I don't know, a while, I guess....longer than you.” She spat back, inhaling deeply in frustration only to receive a sharp burst of pain. He tossed the item to her and she caught it, turning her back to him—that's when he caught sight of the scar on her spine before she managed to slip it on carefully before zipping it.

“That scar, what's it from?” He questioned with curiosity present in his tone as she turned to look at him wearily, rolling her eyes and shrugging.

“Who knows, but they fixed it with metal.” She stated blankly as she moved back to the wall—that's how she had known the cold affected his arm. She slipped her boots back on with ease and moved towards the door but stopped at the sound of a gun cocking causing her to look at him. “Your not going to use it so just fucking quit.”

“Depends, if I shoot you, you have to go to the hospital.” He countered with that same wicked smirk from last night.

“If you shoot me, I'll bleed out before an ambulance gets here. And you're too busy hiding from yourself to take me, so put it away.” She said, her right arm slung over her ribs protectively as she put her free hand on the door knob.

“You need to be looked at.” He growled, standing and moving to put his metal hand over her shoulder against the door so she couldn't open it. She turned to look at him with a look that screamed 'why do you even care' when it hit her and she smirked.

“I'll go if you talk to Steve.” She offered him, glancing outside in hopes of some sign of what time it was before looking into his blue eyes. “Should be eating breakfast right about now at his favorite little diner.”

“We're resorting to blackmail, eh?” He huffed as he studied her unnatural eyes for some sign of a lie before finally taking the gun off of her, un-cocking it before settling it into it's holster. “Fine.”

He reached over on the chair for his coat, sliding it up his arms before opening the door and letting her lead the way. They made their way out of the building through the back exit and into the streets. It was a good sized walk that consumed at least fifteen minutes before she pointed out the diner at the end of the alley. They stood there, waiting for some sign of his friend and nearly a half hour later the tall blonde could be seen walking towards the door. He froze and she rolled her eyes, her free hand pushing him forward.

“Go.” She commanded him, pushing him once more until he was on the side walk and he glanced over his shoulder to find her smiling weakly at him.

“Steve!” He called out, his voice breaking a little as his best friend's name left his lips. The blonde stopped, looking around until he spotted him, freezing in his tracks.

“Bucky?!” He exclaimed in disbelief, quickly moving towards the dark haired man and after visually confirming it was him, he grasped him in a tight hug. “Oh god, Buck, I've looked everywhere for you! How did you know where to find me?” He questioned as he pulled away just enough to look at him.

“Snow, she led me to you, says you've met before.” He explained glancing over his shoulder only to do a double take—she was gone.

“Snow?” Steve asked, looking at his friend with concern.

“Petite redhead, she's been hanging out on the streets.” He told him with worry etched in his face as he turned to scan the alley.

“I've never run into her...” Steve stated placing a hand on Bucky's shoulder but he shrugged it off. “Come on, Buck, let's get you something to eat.”

“No, we have to find her, she needs medical attention Steve.” He said in exasperation, staring at the tracks she had made and beginning to follow them down the alley before glancing at his friend who followed. “She promised—she swore if I talked to you she'd go to the hospital—we have to find her...” He muttered and Steve moved in front of him, grabbing his shoulders. “She doesn't have anyone to help her remember...we have to help her...they fucked with her mind, we....”

“Bucky, your not making a whole lot of sense here. Let’s at least grab some coffee and we can go check.” Steve responded but he wasn't listening, he was looking beyond him at the mouth of the alley where the tracks headed around the corner. So he shook him, drawing his attention once more. “I promise, Buck, we'll look for her.”

He nodded in recognition of his words and allowed the blonde to lead him into the diner. She stood just around the corner, a hand over her mouth as she silently sobbed—having heard their whole conversation, still clutching her ribs. She had lied, but he had held up his end of the bargain and that was all that mattered to her. He couldn't give her what she _wanted_ , but at least she could give him what he **needed** , _his old life back_. At least for one night he had made her feel more alive than she could ever remember, and in so many different ways. She wiped at her eyes for a moment before turning and walking along the back road until she disappeared in the snow flurry sweeping through the air— _just another ghost...._


End file.
